As we head rapidly towards the end of 2018 the prospect of Christmas and New Year is daunting for many due to the cost of the celebrations. With Christmas being as much a cultural as a religious event for most people, and New Year being a party time too, this article is all about some hints and tips for budgeting at this time of year.

The holidays are a time when people want to splash out but it is all too easy to get carried away with all the advertising, tempting shop displays, and the associated pressure to make everything perfect.

The cost of living in the UAE is higher than ever and with many people having concerns about expenditure, and even job security, there are ways to cut back but still have a good time.

It is sadly all too common for people to get into debt whilst living in the UAE, for multiple reasons, so this article is designed to give you the steps to work through to deal with any debt problems you may have.

It is really important that this is dealt with as non-payment of monies owed is a criminal issue under UAE law and can lead to serious consequences.

These are the steps you need to take to get back in control and to deal with the banks.

This is just the second UK Autumn Budget and unusually it was on a Monday, the first time since 1962. Budgets are normally on a Wednesday but that would fall on Halloween this year so too much of a gift to headline writers.

This is the last Budget before Brexit and not too much was expected as the UK Government is dealing with complicated Brexit issues although there will be a Spring Statement that can be upgraded to a full Budget if deemed necessary.

This article is a brief overview of some of the main points with particular reference to any changes that have relevance to those living outside of the UK. The UK press will cover many points in detail but much of this is not directly relevant to expats so this article focuses of the relevant points for us. Continue reading →

Most expats have a need to move money between currencies and it makes sense to find a way to do this securely, easily and where you can save money.

The online services offered by retail banks are rarely competitive and even if they do not charge a fee they make their profit on the poor rates of exchange offered – but there is a better way and you don’t even need to leave your home to get much better value for money. And all savings are good, right?

Credit cards are a fact of modern life but are they friend or foe? Should you have one, or are they to be avoided?

When used sensibly and responsibly they can be a useful tool with benefits but too often they are used to support a lifestyle, the balance is not repaid in good time, and they become a very expensive burden.

This article is a quick look at both the pros and cons of this type of consumer debt.

The days of most expats having their children’s school fees paid for them are gone and even if you have an education allowance as part of your salary package it will stop once they finish secondary school. If they then want to go on to tertiary education, whether that is university, college, or vocational study someone has to pay and the burden is likely to fall on to parents.

Have you thought about how much may be required, or how to fund the additional study that you children may want, or indeed may need, in order to do what they want in life and be successful?

There is no doubt that many youngsters leaving school this summer are lacking in practical knowledge about their finances. It is important to have some financial knowledge to safely negotiate the adult world so here are some points that every young person should know about money.